Even The Mohawks
Themselves, Who Were Once So Populous, And Such Renowned Warriors,
Are Now Reduced To Less Than 200
Since the European settlements have
circumscribed the territories which their ancestors had reserved.
Three years before the arrival of the
Europeans at Cape Cod, a
frightful distemper had swept away a great many along its coasts,
which made the landing and intrusion of our forefathers much easier
than it otherwise might have been. In the year 1763, above half of
the Indians of this island perished by a strange fever, which the
Europeans who nursed them never caught; they appear to be a race
doomed to recede and disappear before the superior genius of the
Europeans. The only ancient custom of these people that is
remembered is, that in their mutual exchanges, forty sun-dried
clams, strung on a string, passed for the value of what might be
called a copper. They were strangers to the use and value of wampum,
so well known to those of the main. The few families now remaining
are meek and harmless; their ancient ferocity is gone: they were
early christianised by the New England missionaries, as well as
those of the Vineyard, and of several other parts of Massachusetts;
and to this day they remain strict observers of the laws and customs
of that religion, being carefully taught while young. Their
sedentary life has led them to this degree of civilisation much more
effectually, than if they had still remained hunters. They are fond
of the sea, and expert mariners. They have learned from the Quakers
the art of catching both the cod and whale, in consequence of which,
five of them always make part of the complement of men requisite to
fit out a whaleboat. Many have removed hither from the Vineyard, on
which account they are more numerous on Nantucket, than anywhere
else.
It is strange what revolution has happened among them in less than
two hundred years! What is become of those numerous tribes which
formerly inhabited the extensive shores of the great bay of
Massachusetts? Even from Numkeag (Salem), Saugus (Lynn), Shawmut
(Boston), Pataxet, Napouset (Milton), Matapan (Dorchester),
Winesimet (Chelsea), Poiasset, Pokanoket (New Plymouth), Suecanosset
(Falmouth), Titicut (Chatham). Nobscusset (Yarmouth), Naussit
(Eastham), Hyannees (Barnstable), etc., and many others who lived on
sea-shores of above three hundred miles in length; without
mentioning those powerful tribes which once dwelt between the rivers
Hudson, Connecticut, Piskataqua, and Kennebeck, the Mehikaudret,
Mohiguine, Pequods, Narragansets, Nianticks, Massachusetts,
Wamponougs, Nipnets, Tarranteens, etc. - They are gone, and every
memorial of them is lost; no vestiges whatever are left of those
swarms which once inhabited this country, and replenished both sides
of the great peninsula of Cape Cod: not even one of the posterity of
the famous Masconomeo is left (the sachem of Cape Ann); not one of
the descendants of Massasoit, father of Metacomet (Philip), and
Wamsutta (Alexander), he who first conveyed some lands to the
Plymouth Company. They have all disappeared either in the wars which
the Europeans carried on against them, or else they have mouldered
away, gathered in some of their ancient towns, in contempt and
oblivion: nothing remains of them all, but one extraordinary
monument, and even this they owe to the industry and religious zeal
of the Europeans, I mean the Bible translated into the Nattick
tongue. Many of these tribes giving way to the superior power of the
whites, retired to their ancient villages, collecting the scattered
remains of nations once populous; and in their grant of lands
reserved to themselves and posterity certain portions, which lay
contiguous to them. There forgetting their ancient manners, they
dwelt in peace; in a few years their territories were surrounded by
the improvements of the Europeans; in consequence of which they grew
lazy, inactive, unwilling, and unapt to imitate, or to follow any of
our trades, and in a few generations, either totally perished or
else came over to the Vineyard, or to this island, to re-unite
themselves with such societies of their countrymen as would receive
them. Such has been the fate of many nations, once warlike and
independent; what we see now on the main, or on those islands, may
be justly considered as the only remains of those ancient tribes.
Might I be permitted to pay perhaps a very useless compliment to
those at least who inhabited the great peninsula of Namset, now Cape
Cod, with whose names and ancient situation I am well acquainted.
This peninsula was divided into two great regions; that on the side
of the bay was known by the name of Nobscusset, from one of its
towns; the capital was called Nausit (now Eastham); hence the
Indians of that region were called Nausit Indians, though they dwelt
in the villages of Pamet, Nosset, Pashee, Potomaket, Soktoowoket,
Nobscusset (Yarmouth).
The region on the Atlantic side was called Mashpee, and contained
the tribes of Hyannees, Costowet, Waquoit, Scootin, Saconasset,
Mashpee, and Namset. Several of these Indian towns have been since
converted into flourishing European settlements, known by different
names; for as the natives were excellent judges of land, which they
had fertilised besides with the shells of their fish, etc., the
latter could not make a better choice; though in general this great
peninsula is but a sandy pine track, a few good spots excepted. It
is divided into seven townships, viz. Bamstable, Yarmouth, Harwich,
Chatham, Eastham, Pamet, Namset, or Province town, at the extremity
of the Cape. Yet these are very populous, though I am at a loss to
conceive on what the inhabitants live, besides clams, oysters, and
fish; their piny lands being the most ungrateful soil in the world.
The minister of Namset or Province Town, receives from the
government of Massachusetts a salary of fifty pounds per annum; and
such is the poverty of the inhabitants of that place, that, unable
to pay him any money, each master of a family is obliged to allow
him two hundred horse feet (sea spin) with which this primitive
priest fertilises the land of his glebe, which he tills himself:
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